title: Using appreciative inquiry to transform health care.
abstract: Amid tremendous changes in contemporary health care stimulated by shifts in social, economic and political environments, health care managers are challenged to provide new structures and processes to continually improve health service delivery. The general public and the media are becoming less tolerant of poor levels of health care, and health care professionals need to be involved and supported to bring about positive change in health care. Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a philosophy and method for promoting transformational change, shifting from a traditional problem-based orientation to a more strength-based approach to change, that focuses on affirmation, appreciation and positive dialog. This paper discusses how an innovative participatory approach such as AI may be used to promote workforce engagement and organizational learning, and facilitate positive organizational change in a health care context.
authors.affiliation: Family and Community Health Research Group, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Suza
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trajkovski
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schmied
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vickers
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D018166:Health Care Reform; D009517:New South Wales; D009936:Organizational Innovation